PALB2, BRCA2 Gene Mutations Confer Similar Breast Cancer Risk
August 8th 2014Women harboring a loss-of-function mutation in the PALB2 gene demonstrated an increased risk of developing breast cancer that was similar to the predisposition seen with mutations in the infamous BRCA gene, according to a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).
Many Benefits Seen With CT Lung Cancer Screening for Those at High Risk
August 7th 2014When the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended last year that asymptomatic, high-risk individuals should receive annual screening for lung cancer with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT), it made a healthy decision for the American population.
Fewer Side Effects, Cost Savings, With Single-Fraction Radiotherapy for Bone Metastases
August 6th 2014A new study has found that standardizing prescribing practices for single-fraction radiation therapy (SFRT) for palliation of bone metastases may result in cost savings and an improvement in patients' quality of life.
Addario Lung Cancer Medical Institute Launches New Study, Featured on ABC News
August 5th 2014The Addario Lung Cancer Medical Institute (ALCMI) today launched a new study, the Genomics of Young Lung Cancer, to understand why lung cancer occurs in young adults, who quite often are athletic, never smokers and do not exhibit any of the known lung cancer genetic mutations.
Ambitious Lung-MAP Trial Launched With Five Novel Drugs
August 1st 2014Five novel agents for the treatment of patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the lung will be evaluated in the recently launched Lung-MAP trial, an innovative biomarker-driven study that aims to improve the drug development process while exploring therapeutic options for this challenging malignancy.
Acupuncture Offers Quality-of-Life Benefits for Patients Taking AIs
July 30th 2014A new study led by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has shown that electroacupuncture produces significant improvements in fatigue, anxiety, and depression in as little as 8 weeks for early-stage breast cancer patients experiencing joint pain related to the use of aromatase inhibitors (AIs).
No Matter Who You Are, Get Checked!
July 23rd 2014It happens all the time. A man gets older, but he doesn't think he needs to be checked for prostate cancer. Even if his father or grandfather had prostate cancer, he feels fine, and does not see the need for yearly physical exams. However, the reality is that 1 in 7 American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in his lifetime.
Reducing Costs Without Negatively Impacting Patient Care
July 23rd 2014A pilot program initiated by UnitedHealthcare involving 5 oncology groups that focused on best treatment practices and health outcomes, rather than the number of drugs that oncologists prescribe, resulted in a 34% reduction in medical costs.
Trastuzumab-Associated Cardiac Events Reversible, Outweighed by Benefits
July 18th 2014Cardiac events associated with trastuzumab (Herceptin) are mostly reversible and outweighed by significant extensions in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer
One Million and Counting . . . in Support of Bladder Cancer Research
July 15th 2014When my late husband John and I started the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN) in 2005, our goal was not only to raise awareness about bladder cancer, but to change the landscape for this disease by funding research to discover new treatments that will save lives.